Best Brunello Producers

A few weeks ago, I wote a post on Brunello di Montalcino (read here) in which I discussed ths wine’s characteristics and makeup along with listing some of the finest producers. I thought readers would be interested in learning what some of the top authorities in Italy as well as this country think about Brunello, so I asked several experts in this field to provide me with a list of whom they believe are the finest producers of Brunello.

I asked for a list of ten, letting them know they could add brief comments if they wished. One contributor gave me twelve names, saying he couldn’t get his list down to just ten, while another gave me his list of his top ten followed closely by another ten. No problem- the more the merrier – and it shows you how many excellent producers of Brunello di Montalcino there are.

So without further ado, here are the lists:

Jeremy Parzen – Author of dobianchi wine blog and co-author of vinowire blog. Italian wine writer, educator and marketer, currently living in Texas.

“Based on what I feel are indicative, traditional expressions of Brunello, available in this country…

Tom Maresca – America’s leading writer on Italian wines, having contributed hundreds of articles on the topic for more than 25 years. Lives in New York City.

Banfi: great quality-to-price ratio

Barbi: very traditional house

Biondi Santi: self explanatory

Casanova di Neri: elegant

Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona: big, structured

Donatella Cinelli Colombini: very true to Montalcino character

Col d’Orcia: great finesse

Fuligni: a pace-setter in recent vintages

Lisini: the essence of Montalcino

Nardi: great strides in recent years

Poggio Antico: more and more, intensely Sangiovese

Il Poggione: superb vineyards

Charles Scicolone – Author of the blog Charles Scicolone on Wine. One of America’s leading authorities on Italian wines. Wine writer and restaurant consultant. He lives in New York City.

Fattoria dei Barbi- Some where between traditional and modren but I think more traditional

Biondi-Santi -Traditional and one of the best

Caparzo – Some wines in Traditional style, others modern

Casanova di Neri – use of botti, small french oak barrels and tonneau

Col d’Orcia

Il Poggione

Constanti- I think he is still traditional

Poggio Antico- They changed their style went modern with the 2001 vintage -loved the wine before this

Mastrojanni – in between

Pian delle Vigne- Antinori

” I really liked the 2004 Brunello from Banfi- I think it is the best Brunello they ever made.

“It is difficult to tell the modern from the traditionalist except for Franco Biondi- Santi.

“In most cases the “traditionalists” are using more modern methods and the modern producers less small oak. Some make one Brunello in a traditional style and other in a modern style.

“I find Brunello to be very confusing. That is why I like my Brunello to be 1990 or older.”

Franco Ziliani – Author of vinoalvino blog and co-author of vinowire blog (with Jeremy Parzen). One of Italy’s most important wine writers and arguably the most influential in the country. Lives near Bergamo in the province of Lombardia.

Case Basse

Il Greppo Biondi Santi

Il Colle

Poggio di Sotto

Giulio Salvioni Cerbaiola

Lisini

Col d’Orcia

Fuligni

Gianni Brunelli

Capanna

Plus others like:

Il Poggione

Caprili

Gorelli Le Potazzine

Le Macioche

Sesta di Sopra

Il Marroneto

Uccelliera

Pian dell’Orino

Salicutti

Mastrojanni

And finally, my choices (in alphabetical order):

Biondi-Santi

Caprili

Col d’Orcia

Fuligni

Il Poggione

Le Chiuse

Pian dell’Orino

Poggio Antico

Poggio di Sotto

Sesta di Sopra

Talenti

Uccelliera

Do you have favorite Brunello producers? I’d love to read your choices- send them along.